The host Denmark was very close to the victory when Bendtner headed a second score just 11 minutes from the end. But the Danish hearts were broken in stoppage time as the Italian midfielder Alberto Aquilani scored one valuable point for Italy.

Bendtner is back in the Danish squad for the first time in six months, following a ban imposed by the Danish Football Association for a drink-driving incident earlier in the year.

Denmark will meet Malta next Tuesday in the Brazil World Cup qualifying round in Parken in Copenhagen.